NC lawmakers back at work; GOP in firm control

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina lawmakers returned to work Wednesday with expanded Republican majorities, turning their attention to GOP priorities such as retiring unemployment insurance debt and reducing maximum weekly benefits by one-third, staking out positions on federal health care expansion and helping cash-strapped group homes.

The House and Senate reconvened at noon and were out for the day within a half-hour. They had already elected their leaders and gotten committee assignments during a one-day meeting in January.

But lawmakers introduced dozens of bills Wednesday, a few of which will be heard and voted upon Thursday. Some Republican-sponsored measures expected to pass reflect their misgivings about the federal government.

One makes clear that the state doesn't want to run a health care exchange required by the federal Affordable Care Act — this means federal officials would set it up — and shows they're skeptical about expanding Medicaid as allowed under the law. Another measure would overhaul unemployment insurance effective July 1, even though it means an extra year of emergency jobless benefits approved by Congress this month would be eliminated after six months, possibly cutting off about 80,000 workers ...